TAGAYTAY CITY – Slowly but steadily, the Philippines is pulling away from Myanmar in their chess duel at the Lake Garden Hotel here.
With International Master-candidates Rolando Nolte and Rolando Andador at the helm, the Filipinos trounced the Burmese, 4.5-1.5, in the fourth round and 4-2 in the fifth Wednesday to further boost their lead in the first RP-Myanmar Dual Match.
The Filipinos, who stretched their domination of the Burmese to five matches, took an imposing 10-point lead, 20-10, in the 12-round showdown being hosted by Tagaytay City through Mayor Abraham "Bambol" Tolentino.
Continuing his strong showing this year, Nolte trounced IM Zaw Htun Wynn in 29 moves of the Sicilian and then followed it up with a smashing victory over IM Aung Aung to lead the Filipinos' rampage with 4.5 points out of a possible 5.0.
Andador, mainstay of the Philippine National Police detailed in Camp Crame, matched Nolte's 4.5 output by whipping FIDE Master Kyaw Soe Kyaw in 46 moves of the Slav and FM Kyaw Lin Naing in the fifth round.
Oliver Barbosa, the 2002 national junior champion, also sparkled by crushing Grandmaster Win Lay Zaw in 22 moves of the Sicilian.
Other fourth round matches saw Grandmaster-elect Jayson Gonzales draw with Aung in 51 moves of the Reti, Dino Ballecer halve the point with FM Kyaw Lin Naing in 58 moves of the Sicilian and Reggie Olay draw with IM Oo Kyaw Nay in seven moves of the Philidor.
The Filipino scorers in the fifth round were Nolte, eighth placer in the recent Subic Open; Andador and Gonzales, who bested Oo Kyaw Nay to inch closer toward attaining the 2500 ELO rating he needs to become a full-fledged GM. Gonzales currently totes an ELO of 2468.
Only IM Zaw Htun Wynn struck for Myanmar, handing Barbosa his first setback in the six-day tournament organized by the National Chess Federation of the Philippines headed by Prospero "Butch" Pichay.
The matches pitting Ballecer against Win Lay Zaw and Olay against Kyaw Soe Kyaw ended in draws.
Earlier rounds ended 3.5-2.5, 3.5-2.5 and 4.5-1.5, all for the Filipinos.
